Anwar vows Malaysia to pursue Jho Low over 1MDB despite potential US pardon

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said Malaysia would maintain its legal pursuit of Jho Low even if the fugitive financier were to receive a US presidential pardon.Low, the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB-scandal" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="126763" data-entity-type="event">1MDB scandal, was charged in 2018 with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from the sovereign wealth fund and violating anti-bribery laws in Malaysia.He also reportedly used the stolen loot to gain access to Hollywood A-listers and buy luxury homes, a superyacht and fine art pieces.Now-jailed former prime minister Najib Razak launched 1MDB in 2009 to drive economic development and attract investment. The fund was later embroiled in a sprawling fraud, sparking widespread public anger that toppled Najib’s government in the 2018 general election.Low sought clemency from US President Donald Trump in May.According to US media reports, the businessman could be among 250 people Trump might consider pardoning as part of celebrations to mark America’s 250th Independence Day on Saturday.“That is a decision for the US,” Anwar said of the potential move that could drop criminal charges against Low in the United States.